Shrimp and Grits
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Total Time
45 mins
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Servings
5
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Calories
566 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch
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Cuisine
American
Shrimp and Grits
Description
This Shrimp and Grits recipe starts by cooking stone-ground grits slowly in chicken broth until soft and creamy, enhanced by butter and cheddar cheese or cream. The grits have a tender texture that holds a comforting presence on the plate. While the grits cook, bacon is fried until crisp, which contributes rendered fat used to sauté shrimp along with onion, green bell pepper, and garlic. A flour mixture thickens the sauce enriched by chicken broth and seasoned with Old Bay, Cajun, and cayenne for a balanced spicy and savory profile.
The shrimp are seared until just cooked through and combined with the sauce made from the seasoned broth and bacon fat. The dish is garnished with fresh green onions, parsley, and a squeeze of lemon juice for brightness. This combination presents a harmony of creamy, spicy, smoky, and fresh flavors with varying textures from tender shrimp to creamy grits and crisp bacon.
Leftover grits keep well refrigerated for up to five days, and shrimp leftovers should be consumed within two days. For convenience, instant grits or slow cooker preparation can be alternatives, but cooking stone-ground grits slowly yields the best creamy texture.
Ingredients
Grits:
- 4 cups chicken broth low-sodium
- 1 cup grits stone ground
- 3 tablespoons butter , room temperature
- 1 cup cheddar cheese optional, or 2 tablespoons heavy cream, freshly shredded
- kosher salt , to taste
Shrimp:
- 9 lices Bacon , chopped
- 1 1/5 lb Shrimp peeled and deveined, large
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup onion chopped
- ½ green bell pepper , chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth or shrimp broth, low-sodium
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper , or more, to taste
- kosher salt , to taste
Garnish:
- 3 green onions , chopped
- 1/3 cup parsley fresh chopped
- lemon from half a lemon, fresh-squeezed juice
Instructions
- Cook Grits: Bring broth to a boil. Once boiling, whisk the broth as you slowly pour the grits in, to prevent clumping. Return to a boil, then stir, reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring every few minutes to make sure they’re not sticking to the bottom of the pot, until water is absorbed. They will be thickened, soft, smooth, and tender (you don’t want them overly thick/pasty).
- Season Grits: Stir in butter until melted. Stir in cheese, or heavy cream. Taste and season with salt, if needed.
- Cook Bacon: While grits are cooking, add bacon slices to a skillet. Turn heat to medium and cook for several minutes, stirring often, until fat is rendered and bacon is crispy. Remove bacon to a plate.
- Cook Shrimp: Turn heat to medium high and add shrimp to the pan with bacon grease. Cook for 1-2 minutes, just until the bottoms start to turn pink, then flip to the other side and cook an additional 1-2 minutes (don’t overcook the shrimp). Remove shrimp to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Cook Gravy sauce: Reduce heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon butter to the pan. Once butter is melted, add chopped onion, bell pepper and garlic to the pan and sauté for 2 minutes, until tender. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Slowly stir in 1 1/2 cups chicken broth. Add Cajun seasoning, old bay seasoning, and cayenne pepper. Cook until sauce is thickened to gravy consistency. Taste and add salt or other seasonings if needed, to taste.
- Remove from heat and add shrimp and bacon back to the pan.
- Serve: Place a large spoonful of grits (about ¾ cup) onto a plate, smoothing into an even layer. Add a spoonful of shrimp and gravy on top. Garnish with green onions, fresh parsley, and squeeze a little lemon juice on top.
Notes
- Use freshly shredded cheddar cheese to melt smoothly into the grits; avoid pre-shredded cheese which can affect texture.
- Stone-ground grits require slow cooking with frequent stirring; instant grits can be cooked according to package directions as a shortcut.
- For slow cooker preparation, spray the slow cooker, add broth and grits, and cook on low for 6-7 hours before stirring in butter and cheese or cream.
- Store leftover grits refrigerated up to 5 days, and shrimp should be eaten within 2 days for best quality.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 5Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 566 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 566kcal | 28% |
| Carbohydrates | 36g | 12% |
| Protein | 19g | 38% |
| Fat | 39g | 60% |
| Saturated Fat | 19g | 95% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 85mg | 28% |
| Sodium | 601mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 466mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 1430IU | 29% |
| Vitamin C | 18mg | 20% |
| Calcium | 200mg | 20% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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